[PATCH v3 0/2] bpf: Specify access type of bpf_sysctl_get_name args

[PATCH v3 0/2] bpf: Specify access type of bpf_sysctl_get_name args

[Jerome Marchand]

The second argument of bpf_sysctl_get_name() helper is a pointer to a
buffer that is being written to. However that isn't specify in the
prototype. Until commit 37cce22dbd51a ("bpf: verifier: Refactor helper
access type tracking") that mistake was hidden by the way the verifier
treated helper accesses. Since then, the verifier, working on wrong
infromation from the prototype, can make faulty optimization that
would had been caught by the test_sysctl selftests if it was run by
the CI.

The first patch fixes bpf_sysctl_get_name prototype.

The second patch converts the test_sysctl to prog_tests so that it
will be run by the CI and catch similar issues in the future.

Changes in v3:
 - Use ASSERT* macro instead of CHECK_FAIL.
 - Remove useless code.

Changes in v2:
 - Replace ARG_PTR_TO_UNINIT_MEM by ARG_PTR_TO_MEM | MEM_WRITE.
 - Converts test_sysctl to prog_tests.

Jerome Marchand (2):
  bpf: Specify access type of bpf_sysctl_get_name args
  selftests/bpf: Convert test_sysctl to prog_tests

 kernel/bpf/cgroup.c                           |  2 +-
 tools/testing/selftests/bpf/.gitignore        |  1 -
 tools/testing/selftests/bpf/Makefile          |  5 +--
 .../bpf/{ => prog_tests}/test_sysctl.c        | 37 ++++---------------
 4 files changed, 11 insertions(+), 34 deletions(-)
 rename tools/testing/selftests/bpf/{ => prog_tests}/test_sysctl.c (98%)

-- 
2.49.0

[PATCH v3 1/2] bpf: Specify access type of bpf_sysctl_get_name args

[Jerome Marchand]

The second argument of bpf_sysctl_get_name() helper is a pointer to a
buffer that is being written to. However that isn't specify in the
prototype.

Until commit 37cce22dbd51a ("bpf: verifier: Refactor helper access
type tracking"), all helper accesses were considered as a possible
write access by the verifier, so no big harm was done. However, since
then, the verifier might make wrong asssumption about the content of
that address which might lead it to make faulty optimizations (such as
removing code that was wrongly labeled dead). This is what happens in
test_sysctl selftest to the tests related to sysctl_get_name.

Add MEM_WRITE flag the second argument of bpf_sysctl_get_name().

Signed-off-by: Jerome Marchand <jmarchan@redhat.com>
---
 kernel/bpf/cgroup.c | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/kernel/bpf/cgroup.c b/kernel/bpf/cgroup.c
index 84f58f3d028a3..76994c204b503 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/cgroup.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/cgroup.c
@@ -2104,7 +2104,7 @@ static const struct bpf_func_proto bpf_sysctl_get_name_proto = {
 	.gpl_only	= false,
 	.ret_type	= RET_INTEGER,
 	.arg1_type	= ARG_PTR_TO_CTX,
-	.arg2_type	= ARG_PTR_TO_MEM,
+	.arg2_type	= ARG_PTR_TO_MEM | MEM_WRITE,
 	.arg3_type	= ARG_CONST_SIZE,
 	.arg4_type	= ARG_ANYTHING,
 };
-- 
2.49.0

Re: [PATCH v3 1/2] bpf: Specify access type of bpf_sysctl_get_name args

[Yonghong Song]

On 6/19/25 7:06 AM, Jerome Marchand wrote:
> The second argument of bpf_sysctl_get_name() helper is a pointer to a
> buffer that is being written to. However that isn't specify in the
> prototype.
>
> Until commit 37cce22dbd51a ("bpf: verifier: Refactor helper access
> type tracking"), all helper accesses were considered as a possible
> write access by the verifier, so no big harm was done. However, since
> then, the verifier might make wrong asssumption about the content of
> that address which might lead it to make faulty optimizations (such as
> removing code that was wrongly labeled dead). This is what happens in
> test_sysctl selftest to the tests related to sysctl_get_name.
>
> Add MEM_WRITE flag the second argument of bpf_sysctl_get_name().
>
> Signed-off-by: Jerome Marchand <jmarchan@redhat.com>

You can carry previous ACK if there is no big change. Ack again here.

Acked-by: Yonghong Song <yonghong.song@linux.dev>

[PATCH v3 2/2] selftests/bpf: Convert test_sysctl to prog_tests

[Jerome Marchand]

Convert test_sysctl test to prog_tests with minimal change to the
tests themselves.

Signed-off-by: Jerome Marchand <jmarchan@redhat.com>
---
 tools/testing/selftests/bpf/.gitignore        |  1 -
 tools/testing/selftests/bpf/Makefile          |  5 +--
 .../bpf/{ => prog_tests}/test_sysctl.c        | 37 ++++---------------
 3 files changed, 10 insertions(+), 33 deletions(-)
 rename tools/testing/selftests/bpf/{ => prog_tests}/test_sysctl.c (98%)

diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/.gitignore b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/.gitignore
index e2a2c46c008b1..3d8378972d26c 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/.gitignore
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/.gitignore
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ test_lirc_mode2_user
 flow_dissector_load
 test_tcpnotify_user
 test_libbpf
-test_sysctl
 xdping
 test_cpp
 *.d
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/Makefile b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/Makefile
index 66bb50356be08..53dc08d905bd1 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/Makefile
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/Makefile
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ endif
 # Order correspond to 'make run_tests' order
 TEST_GEN_PROGS = test_verifier test_tag test_maps test_lru_map test_progs \
 	test_sockmap \
-	test_tcpnotify_user test_sysctl \
+	test_tcpnotify_user \
 	test_progs-no_alu32
 TEST_INST_SUBDIRS := no_alu32
 
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ ifeq ($(VMLINUX_BTF),)
 $(error Cannot find a vmlinux for VMLINUX_BTF at any of "$(VMLINUX_BTF_PATHS)")
 endif
 
-# Define simple and short `make test_progs`, `make test_sysctl`, etc targets
+# Define simple and short `make test_progs`, `make test_maps`, etc targets
 # to build individual tests.
 # NOTE: Semicolon at the end is critical to override lib.mk's default static
 # rule for binaries.
@@ -324,7 +324,6 @@ NETWORK_HELPERS := $(OUTPUT)/network_helpers.o
 $(OUTPUT)/test_sockmap: $(CGROUP_HELPERS) $(TESTING_HELPERS)
 $(OUTPUT)/test_tcpnotify_user: $(CGROUP_HELPERS) $(TESTING_HELPERS) $(TRACE_HELPERS)
 $(OUTPUT)/test_sock_fields: $(CGROUP_HELPERS) $(TESTING_HELPERS)
-$(OUTPUT)/test_sysctl: $(CGROUP_HELPERS) $(TESTING_HELPERS)
 $(OUTPUT)/test_tag: $(TESTING_HELPERS)
 $(OUTPUT)/test_lirc_mode2_user: $(TESTING_HELPERS)
 $(OUTPUT)/xdping: $(TESTING_HELPERS)
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/test_sysctl.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/test_sysctl.c
similarity index 98%
rename from tools/testing/selftests/bpf/test_sysctl.c
rename to tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/test_sysctl.c
index bcdbd27f22f08..273dd41ca09e4 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/test_sysctl.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/test_sysctl.c
@@ -1,22 +1,8 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 // Copyright (c) 2019 Facebook
 
-#include <fcntl.h>
-#include <stdint.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include <stdlib.h>
-#include <string.h>
-#include <unistd.h>
-
-#include <linux/filter.h>
-
-#include <bpf/bpf.h>
-#include <bpf/libbpf.h>
-
-#include <bpf/bpf_endian.h>
-#include "bpf_util.h"
+#include "test_progs.h"
 #include "cgroup_helpers.h"
-#include "testing_helpers.h"
 
 #define CG_PATH			"/foo"
 #define MAX_INSNS		512
@@ -1608,26 +1594,19 @@ static int run_tests(int cgfd)
 	return fails ? -1 : 0;
 }
 
-int main(int argc, char **argv)
+void test_sysctl(void)
 {
-	int cgfd = -1;
-	int err = 0;
+	int cgfd;
 
 	cgfd = cgroup_setup_and_join(CG_PATH);
-	if (cgfd < 0)
-		goto err;
+	if (!ASSERT_OK_FD(cgfd < 0, "create_cgroup"))
+		goto out;
 
-	/* Use libbpf 1.0 API mode */
-	libbpf_set_strict_mode(LIBBPF_STRICT_ALL);
+	if (!ASSERT_OK(run_tests(cgfd), "run_tests"))
+		goto out;
 
-	if (run_tests(cgfd))
-		goto err;
-
-	goto out;
-err:
-	err = -1;
 out:
 	close(cgfd);
 	cleanup_cgroup_environment();
-	return err;
+	return;
 }
-- 
2.49.0

Re: [PATCH v3 2/2] selftests/bpf: Convert test_sysctl to prog_tests

[Yonghong Song]

On 6/19/25 7:06 AM, Jerome Marchand wrote:
> Convert test_sysctl test to prog_tests with minimal change to the
> tests themselves.
>
> Signed-off-by: Jerome Marchand <jmarchan@redhat.com>

Acked-by: Yonghong Song <yonghong.song@linux.dev>

Re: [PATCH v3 0/2] bpf: Specify access type of bpf_sysctl_get_name args

[patchwork-bot+netdevbpf]

Hello:

This series was applied to bpf/bpf.git (master)
by Alexei Starovoitov <ast@kernel.org>:

On Thu, 19 Jun 2025 16:06:01 +0200 you wrote:
> The second argument of bpf_sysctl_get_name() helper is a pointer to a
> buffer that is being written to. However that isn't specify in the
> prototype. Until commit 37cce22dbd51a ("bpf: verifier: Refactor helper
> access type tracking") that mistake was hidden by the way the verifier
> treated helper accesses. Since then, the verifier, working on wrong
> infromation from the prototype, can make faulty optimization that
> would had been caught by the test_sysctl selftests if it was run by
> the CI.
> 
> [...]

Here is the summary with links:
  - [v3,1/2] bpf: Specify access type of bpf_sysctl_get_name args
    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf/c/2eb7648558a7
  - [v3,2/2] selftests/bpf: Convert test_sysctl to prog_tests
    https://git.kernel.org/bpf/bpf/c/b8a205486ed5

You are awesome, thank you!
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